My Addiction Story

Since childhood, I was addicted to sugar. Candy, ice cream and cake were regulars in my diet.

My grandfather used to get me 2 birthday cakes because 1 was not enough for me.

 

A drawer full of candies and chocolates made me happier rather than scoring 1st division.

 

All was well until I reached the 9th standard. My skin started to break and my weight was whopping 90 Kg.

 

So, I decided to do something about it. I consulted a doctor and she advised me to avoid sugary food/drinks.

 

It took me 2 years to completely kick off sugar from my diet. It was hard at first, but it had to be done.

 

Fast-forwarding to 2020...

It's been 9 years since I quit sugar. Outcome? My skin is healthy and I feel strong every day. 

 

Moral of this post- you just need a reason and willpower to beat addiction. If I can do it, you can too.

Why Did I Choose Writing As A Career?

Recently, I read a blog where a known writer talked about her love for words and why she started writing in the first place. 

Being inspired, I want to share my side of the story- Why did I start writing? 

My answer is divided into 3 pointers. Let's take a look at it. 

1. To express my views- 

For those of you who are reading my post for the 1st time, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Agrim Ahluwalia and I'm an introvert. I find it hard to enjoy the perks of public speaking. 

So, when I learned about content writing, I just embraced it. I love the freedom to express myself on a digital podium without making eye contact with numerous people. 

2. To keep me sane- 

Whenever I hear a piece of bad news or can't make sense of things, I open my laptop and start writing. I try to jot down my thoughts, which gives me peace and helps me to stay positive. 

3. To earn money- 

Well, this is a bonus for me. I never started writing with the intention to earn money. It just happened gradually. And I'm glad it did.

What Mistakes Did I Make As A Newbie Freelancer?

I started freelancing without doing a background check. I had no idea how to pitch clients or ask for payments.  

Because of it, I made several blunders. Here are the top 3 mistakes I made initially- 

Mistake 1- Adopted a free sample policy

Outcome- Clients told me that I was not good and uploaded my write-ups on their websites. 

Mistake 2- I never asked for advance payments and followed a monthly payment cycle without an agreement. 

Outcome- I was conned several times and there is no way to hold the clients responsible for it. 

Mistake 3- Accepted low-pay projects just to have some work. 

Outcome- Worked tirelessly to earn a small income and got frustrated with the idea of freelancing. 

Now, I'm much more aware and alert while communicating with potential clients. 

Advice to all the newbie freelance writers- Learn from my mistakes and be better. 

My Burnout Story

I took a 3-day break from writing. I uninstalled LinkedIn and extended my deadlines. Why?

I was a victim of burnout, thanks to my busy schedule. I wrote 18,000 words, attended 15 skype calls and replied to over 70 emails, all in 1 week.

I ignored my 8 hours of beauty sleep, ate unhealthy food and failed to take breaks in between. 

Outcome? I was tired, cranky, and just wanted to lay in bed all day. 

And that's what I did. My past 3 days were consumed by the following activities- 

1. Sleeping

2. Eating healthy food

3. Watching movies and tv series

Not even a single day, I felt like writing or replying to my clients. 

What did I learn from this?

While working, we often forget the scare of burnout. I could have lost a considerable amount of business, all because of me trying to be super productive. 

Moral of this post- Burnout is not a joke and shouldn't be treated like it. During the productive journey, it's important to take adequate rest. 

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